Planer type coal mining and loading machine



Oct. 12, 1954 w. LOBBE 2,691,514

PLANER TYPE COAL MINING AND LOADING MACHINE Filed May 27, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 24 M 23 F IG 2 INVENTOR WILHELM 1.5585

ATTORNEY Oct. 12, 1954 w. LOBBE PLANER TYPE COAL MINING AND LOADING momma Filed May 27, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WILHELM Lb BBE ATTORNEY Oct. 12, 1954 w. LGBBE 2,691,514

I PLANER TYPE com. MINING AND LOADING MACHINE Filed May 27, 1948 3 Sheets-$heet 3 INVENTOR WILHELM L6BBE ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 12, 1954 PLANER TYPE COAL MINING AND LOADING MACHINE Wilhelm Ltibbe, Oberaden, Germany, assignor to Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westfalia, Lunen,

Germany, a firm Application May 27, 1948, Serial No. 29,483 Claims priority, appiication France June 14, 1947 13 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a coal mining and loading machine and more particularly'to a coal planer and loader which in the following description is generically designated a planer and comprises a conveyor having a substantially stationary trough and preferably endlessly movable conveying scrapers. The planer having two cutting tools and being guided at the conveyor detaches a cutting of coal from the coal face on its travel and return along the conveyor. The conveyor being arranged along the coal face transfers the detached coal always in the same direction. Another feature of the invention consists in that the detached coal is transferred by the planer into the conveyor trough.

Still another feature of the invention consists in that at that side of the conveyor which faces the coal edge there is provided a ramp the inclined plane of which reaches to the top edge of the conveyor over which edge the detached coal is pushed into the conveyor.

Another feature of the invention is that the ramp bolted to the side of the conveyor is overlapped by the blades adjaoentto the cutting tools of the planer.

Another feature of the invention is that the planer is guided by means of a guide beam arranged in an uncovered channel of the ramp.

The ends of the guide beam are a little thinner than the middle so that the planer under the stress of cutting is brought into an inclined position.

An additional feature of the invention is that the ramp secured to the conveyor is so designed that the coal pieces being pushed over the ramp can glide freely and unobstructively over the guide channel.

According to another feature of the invention the ramp ends somewhat below the side profie of the trough in a horizontal stage which is so designed that if projected the upper part of the ramp would not intersect the side profile of the trough. The coal gliding upwards on the ramp is therefore not dammed up and impeded in front of the side profile of the trough. This design allows the two side profiles of the trough to be used as guide-rails for a coal-cutter which is moved along the coal face in order to mortise the coal bed, and prevents the coal cutter from impeding the planer on its travel and return and from impeding the flight scraper conveyor.

An essential feature of the invention consists in that the conveyor and the planer are provided with a common driving mechanism.

If there are provided two driving stations,-one

at each end of the conveyor, by which the scraper night conveyor is operated the planer can alternately be connected with'the one or the other driving station. The two driving stations are in thiscase coupled one with another by means of the scraper flight of the conveyor.

Another feature of the invention consists in that both driving stations have a shifting coupling by means of which the planer is alternately coupled with the one or the other of the two driving stations and correspondingly dragged in one or other direction.

Further-features of the invention will be apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the planer and the conveyor;

Fig. 2 is a view of a driving station on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a cross section according to line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross section of a coupling shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a cross section of the conveyor on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 6 is a top view of the guide-arrangement for the planer; I

Fig. '7 and Fig. 8 are a top view and. cross section of another design of the guide-arrangement;

Fig. 9 and Fig.- 10 show the guide of the coal cutter on the side profiles of the conveyor.

According to Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawing the conveyor has the-reference numeral l5. It consists of the two side sectional irons l6 and [1 Fig. 5 which are connected by the conveyor bottom [8. Endless transport scrapers comprising the chains [9 and scrapers 20 are arranged in the conveyor 15. As may be seen from Figs. 1-3 of the drawing two driving stations are provided one at each end of the conveyor. each station being provided with motors 23 connected with gear units 24. The endless chains [9 travel above the con veyorbottom 18 to the drive pulley of the driving station 2! and return under the conveyor bottom 18 to the drive pulley of the second driving station 22. The coal loaded into the conveyor trough Iii-l8 is-always transferred by the scrapers 20 in the same direction and finally is deposited into the conveyor 25 for removal.

The conveyor trough l5 consists of a number of sections which are in principle rigidly connected one with another but allow a certain lateral shifting-to take place at the joints indicated by thicker cross lines in Fig. l of the drawing. Jacks for shifting the conveyor laterally-are provided at 3 these joints and are schematically shown being indicated by numerals 21. These jacks may be of any desired type, one suitable construction thereof being for instance described and claimed in my co-filed application, Serial Number 29,484.

According to Figs. 1, 5, 6, 9 and 10 of the drawing a ramp or apron 28 is laterally arranged at the conveyor. The ramp is detachably connected with the conveyor l5 by means of bolts 29. The ramp is likewise made of separate sections having the same length as the sections of the conveying trough l6l8.

At about half the height of the rampor apron 28 an open guide channel or recess 29a is provided. The nose or lower edge at of the apron below the channel or recess normally rests on the floor of the coal seam. The inclined extension 3i of the ramp or apron surface situated above the channel or recess 29 is preferably not in alignment with the surface of the lower part 38 but is slightly set back therefrom. This is to insure that the coal gliding upwards over the ramp is not stopped by the channel but is more easily transferred across the channel. Shortly before the lateral sectional iron [6 of the conveyor l5 the upper inclined part 3| of the ramp turns into a horizontal plane 32. The upper part 3| of the ramp 28 is so inclined that an extension of the plane of its surface would not intersect the lateral sectional iron [-6 of the conveyor I5 but would pass over it. The coal rolling upwards on the part 3i of the ramp therefore ,moves in a direction so that it does not, dam up in front of the lateral sectional iron 16 of the conveyor but is passed over this lateral sectional iron [6 into the conveyor. A thin layer of small pieces of coal forms and the larger pieces roll above the layer into the conveyor.

The coal is detached from the coal face by means of the planer having two opposite cutting tools one of them being fed across the coal face on the travel the other on the return of the planer. The planer is moved by means of an endless-drag chain 35, a rope, or the like, which, running along the coal face 34, is hauled by one of the. two driving stations 21 and 22. Thedrag chain returns under the ramp 28. As may be particularly seen fromliigs. 5 and 6 ofthe drawing the planer consists chiefly, .of. a ploughshare shapedjmiddle part 31 being limited on its-front and back sides, by inclined; gliding planes 38 which terminate in oppositerdirected cutting tools 39. The planer is firl'lily connected with a. longitudinal beam 41] which is guided in the channel 2% of the ramp 28. Being tapered towardsits ends 4! the beam 40 can take a diagonal positionin the channel 29 so that that cutting toolwhich is fed across the coal face isalways more distant from the conveyor than the backwards turned cutting tool so that there is .no friction between the flank 42 of the planer 35 and the coal face 34. The endless drag chain or drag rope 35 is attached to the free ends M of the guide beam 40; and travels in the channel 28 along the whole length of the working place and returns under the ramp 28 so that it will not cause any danger to the miners.

The .planer35 is guided by the beam 40 in such a manner that it cannot move laterally away from the conveyor 15. Inorder 1to prevent a vertical movement the ,planer, 35 is provided with a broad andflat base plate 43 which glides under the conveyor. l5 andthe ramp 28. As the conveyor it with the, coal contained init rests. onthebase plate the planer 35 cannot lift up itself.

: Theparticular cutting head ,of the planer shown in Fig. 6 is one limitedly pivotable around a pivot post to thereby cause the cutting edge facing the direction of movement to be tilted into coal cutting position while lifting the other cutting edge away from the coal face. This pivot construction is described in greater detail and claimed in the co-filed application; Serial Number 29,432, of Julius Hermann and is merely shown in this case by way of illustrating the novel guide bar in accordance with my invention in its application to the Hermann pivotable cutting head construction.

In accordance with Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings no ramp or apron is provided at the side of the conveyor l5 facing the coal seam to be cut. The conveyor 15 comprising the essentially U- shaped opposing sections it and H and the connecting scraper bottom 18 is in substantially fixed or anchored position against movement away from the coal face such as by suitable jacks or stakes driven into the floor. Planer 44 is then directly guided by and along the lateral sectional piece it which defines as such a longitudinal guide surface, the planer being held in guided relation thereto by its wedging action between the .anchored conveyor and the coal face seam. It is thus theanchored conveyor as such which prevents the planer M to push itself out of cutting position with respect to the coal face 34. The coal which is broken loose from the face of the seam as the cutting head moves along the conveyor is pushed upwardly and over the top of section member l6 into the conveyor proper l5 by means ofthe angled guide blades ib adjacent the cutting edges 39 of planer 84. The cut coal tumbling over the top of section member it into the conveyor is, continuously transported therein by way of the scraper cross bars 22 attached to and carried by theendlessly moving transport chains IS. The endless conveying scraper composed of the chain and cross bars passes underneath the stationary bottom l8for return into the trough for coal transport therein.

The. planer in the construction shown inv Fig. 3 consists of the two planer portionsA la, and 14417, which are held together by the substantially .horizontally arranged link bolt 41 positioned to substantially extendin adirection normal to the coal face 34. Cutting directional movement of. the planer is accomplishedby way of the rope-44c. Each of the members 4501 forms itself aninclining apron or ramp serving to scoop up accumulated coal that may, have spilled into ,the space between the coal faceandthe conveyor. This scooped-up coal, ,is -then also transported. up the incline -45 for, conveyance into the trough 15. The joint or link bolt ll permits the planer to travelywithout difficulty over depressions and ridges in theseam floor. Supports or props l5amay serve if desired as suitable anchoring means such as for jack members or conventional wedges, the latter being selected of; increasingthickness with each passage of the coal planer to move the conveyor .towards the, seam face a distance commensurate with; the thickness of the coal which has. been cut by the planer.

The --scraper flight conveyor I9/2il and the planer: ,35 are driven-by means .of the drive stations, Hand 22 providedat the ,upper and lower end ofthe conveyor l5. Inorder to protect the motor 23 there. are arranged between the motors and the gear units 24 couplings 48which-are preferably, hydraulic couplings. A shaft-49 (Fig-3) drives a sprocket 5l byg means of chainrdrivetfl; the; sprocket 5 iis'connected with ,the-driveypulley 5.3 by means of the coupling 52. The pulley 53 drives the chain 35 which drags the planer 35. As may be seen from Fig. 4 of the drawing the pulley 53 and the sprocket 5| have on their parts 55 and 54 lateral bearing surfaces and tooth-like claw clutches 5,6 and 57. The coupling is effected by a lateral shifting of the pulley 58 which is provided with lateral teeth 59. The shifting of the pulley 58 is carried out by means of the piston 60; compressed air or some other compressed medium can alternately be admitted to both sides of the piston.

According to Fig. l of the drawing the scraper flight conveyor I9, is driven in such a manner that the coal is always conveyed from the driving station 2| to the driving station 22, into the conveyor of the lower drift. The planer 35 is as shown moving in the opposite direction. The coupling 52 of the driving station 2| is shifted whereas the coupling 52 of the station 22 is disengaged. When the planer 35 has reached the upper end of the travel the coupling 52 of the driving station 2| is disengaged and the coupling 52 of the driving station 22 is shifted. The conveyor I5 is shifted towards the coal face 34 and then the planer 35 returns along the coal face.

Great advantages are obtained by using a common drive for the planer 35 and the conveyor l5. As both the driving stations 2| and 22 are operating their size can be relatively small which is of great importance for coal mines. If the conveyor is overcharged the planer 35 can be put out of operation. The scraper flight conveyor removes the coal so that the coal planer can be connected again after a short time. When the coal planer meets an increased resistance for some reason or other the planer is disconnected till the conveyor i5 is more or less empty so that it needs but little energy and then the whole energy of the two driving stations 2| and 22 can almost entirely be used for operating the planer. The two driving stations are permanently connected in parallel by the revolving scraper flight conveyor I5, 20 so that in any case their efficiencies add themselves; it does not matter whether the conveyor I5 is overloaded or whether the planer shall for a short time be hauled by employing all the energy available.

When the conveyor is overloaded the danger arises that the coal pushed by the planer into the conveyor falls down from the other side of the conveyor. In order to avoid this danger a high wall 5| (Fig. 5) is arranged behind the lateral section IT. The high wall preferably consists of acute angled sheet sections forming a protective casing for electric cables 62, hoses and a signal line 63 by means of which information can be transmitted. The protective casing 6| is mounted on angular supports 64 which are on their part connected with the lateral section H of the conveyor. In the back of the protection casing 6| there are provided holes 65 by which the cables 62, hoses, signal line 63 and the like are accessible. There are, furthermore, provided on the back of the protective casing 6| connection collars, plug boxes and the like. Should the wall 6| be too high with regard to the coal face it can be, as indicated by dotted lines at '61, lie fiat. In this case, too, the loading capacity of the conveyor trough I5 is increased.

As is apparent from the drawings and particularly page 5 thereof the device in accordance with the invention is characterized by an open trough and an unrestricted open top construction. This has the advantage that even large pieces of coal,

relatively large rocks, occasional pieces of tim-- bering, etc., can be passed into the conveyor and transported by the same. Furthermore, inasmuch as side profile sections l6 and H of the conveyor trough l5 have entirely free and unobstructed upper ends, it is possible to use these profile sections as for instance illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 by way of guide tracks for independently moving thereon an independently operative piece of coal mining machinery such as line or groove cutter 68 having groove cutter arm 59 for cutting a sub stantially horizontal groove into the coal face to thereby facilitate the planing or breaking loose of the seam face below the cut. Line or groove cutter 58 may be independently moved back and forth over the tracks defined by the upper end of the trough sections it and I1 and regardless of the movement or position of the cutting head of the planer.

The illustration of Fig. 10 is substantially similar to that shown in Fig. 3. In this case, however, the line or groove cutter is not supported directly as such on the upper end of the side sections [6, II of trough I5 but is connected by way of the pivot member 580. secured to the frame 68b which in turn rests upon the sections it, ll. Pivot member 68a permits the pivoting of the line or groove cutter, 53 to any desired upwardly extending angle of the cutter bar 59. The specific illustration of Fig. 10 shows the cutter bar 59 to have cut upwardly into the seam whereby the upper seam portion can has separated itself and has tumbled into the conveyor i5. The line or groove cutter is secured at 580 through a suitable bolt or the like to maintain the desired cutting angle.

Ihe conveyor l5 may be automatically shifted towards the coal face after each passage of the planer. This operation may be carried out by means of a wedge shaped slide (not shown) which is attached to the base plate 43 or 45 of the planer 35 by means of a chain ll. The wedge glides along a guide rail l2 and wedges itself between the rail 72 andthe top head of the jack head 21. As the jack 2? is anchored and cannot move backward the rail i2 and together with the rail the conveyor l5 and the ramp 28 are shifted towards the coal face 34. On the next passage of the wedge the conveyor I5 is not shifted but the jack head is moved towards the conveyor being thus again brought into wedging position. Upon the next passage of the wedge following the passage of the cutting head the conveyor is once more shifted against the coal face. Details of conveyor shifting arrangements and of the preferred automatic shifting of a conveyor are described in detail and covered as above mentioned in my cofiled application Serial Number 29,484.

What I claim is:

1. Improvement in mining equipment which comprises a substantially longitudinally extending conveyor, guide means extending lengthwise along the forward longitudinal portion of said conveyor, a base member movable back and forth along said guide means in guided relation thereto, said base member being dimensioned and positioned relative to the guide means to permit a limited pivoting with respect thereto in substantially the horizontal plane, and a planer cutting head attached to said base member and movable therewith.

2. Improvement according to claim 1 including means for guiding cut material from said planer cutting head on to said conveyor when moving said planer cutting head in contact with a mine face.

fielmprovement:accordingitozclaimm in which said conveyor is-- provided with: a substantiaily stationary trough and endlessly movable scraper: conveying means positioned partly within: said troughzforcoalwconveyingwaction therein; and in WhiGhiSfli-d means fonguidingmuttmatflial is posietionedmnderrangedtoeuidmmateriahfrom said: planencuttingheadxinto saiditrough.-

ALImpmVement coal: mining: equipment which: comprises a substantially: longitudinally: i0

extending coal conveyor; anzin'clined .apron. almigsidexsaidiconveyoigmeanszdefining asubstantially longitudinal :recess inithe: apron surface substan" tia'lly paralieh-to I saick comreyor, aahan memberwithmsa-idsre'cess slidably movable inieithez -direc tiom therein: and: tapering: atiiboth; ends to give: sum'cienttplayuwithethe sidei walls-ofisaid recess to: permit: limited pivoting: of sa'idi bar. m'emlc'eig means for moving said bar member: inaat-least:

one: directiominrsaid recess, vandma: coal planer cnttin'gah'eadasecuredito .saidrbar. member;

5:.Imprcvementaaccording:to claimA iinuwhich;

said coal planer; cutting .headrha's; cutting means for cutting: inieither: direction ioiamovementialong saidlrecess and which saicL means Ifora'm'oving sa-ida bar's member. is meanszforsmovingi the: samein eithen 'said. direction.

6 Improvementiaccording tosclaim; 4a in which saidirecessihas substantially vertical "sides:

7; Improvementiaccordingitc c1aim 4:.in whichti-io therezisadditionally:includedim'eans'forzsecuring: said::coa1 planet cutting headagainstappreciable verticalamovementzh 85 lmprovement' iaccording'flto claim)? inzwhichfl said means-.forrsecuringa said tcoaliplanen. cutting. 35

headiaigainst: appreciablezverticaltmovement .compriseseasbase plate: member; mounted; movable withisaid'coalzplaner= cutting headiin a substantial. a-Iig'nmentxxtherewith: and iextendingsubstantially; beneathztheewidthiofsaidiapron andzconveycr.

9 improvement accordingitoz claim; 4= in: which. thesangle of: inclination .of:.the. surface ofithe :por-- tion zofitheiinclinedlaprcn:below:saidarecess is less: thanxthe-zangia inclination: of the: surface: of-

s; the portiomof saidzinciinedi-apron above said recessi 10.1Iinprovement accordinatc claim 9 intwhich the-:anglm of inclinationof: the: portion of; the: apron below' the recess isssuchthatlthe plane: defined byzthatsurface-extendsabove the'lower edge of th'e' portien of the inclined apron above-the recess 11% -lmprcvementiace'ord'ing toclaim.10 in (which thereisaadditionally provided a=horizonta1section extending: from substantially the upperv edge ofthe portion of the apron above saidlrec'ess and substantially: abutting the conveyor below: the upper edgeithereofe 12:- Improvement accordingt0:01am; .ilimwhich the-angle oflinclination ofithelportiomofztheiine clined apron above; said recessis such that the: plane definedthereby-extends above the nearesh conveyorzedge.

13. Improvementaccordingizto claimi4rinrwhichf means are provided adgacentethe. upper edge of said conveyonawayifrom said coaliplanericutting; hea d: substantialiyedefinine a cable.- casingi being positioned and arrangeditcv act as a:back wail fori said conveyor.

References Citecl in thesfile of this patent UNITED STATES -PATENTS Number Name Date I 30115?! Wissemann O'ct'..1'7',' 1916; 1563,153 Brackettet a1 Nov: 24, 1925' 127101801 Morgan Apr. ;.1929 2108535'6' Joy, July '6; 1937' FOREIGN- PATENTS Number" Country Date 6422686 Germany Mar. 12; 1937* OTHER; REFERENCES Bureau-of Mines information Gircular #1737 L Designand i Operation: of the CoaL Planer, Ruhr- Distri'ct, Germany; by:J AW. Buck, published Octaber 1946; l -igs'r 1 1 and; 19m 

